Scotland to pre-position helicopters for wildfire risk

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) will now be able to place helicopters on standby during periods of heightened wildfire risk. Justice Secretary Neil Gray announced the move, stating it would be done using an existing contractual framework to prepare commercial helicopters for rapid mobilisation.

Gray cited the major wildfire in the Cairngorms this summer as a catalyst for the change. In that incident, aerial water bombing helicopters were not available until approximately 36 hours after the fire broke out. The blaze burned near Aviemore for almost five weeks, covering about 10 square miles of moorland and forestry.

The Cairngorms wildfire response

That fire, one of 58 wildfire incidents in Scotland this year, required the evacuation of some homes and campsites. At its peak, more than 500 firefighters were involved in the response. The Cairngorms National Park Authority later stated that two specialist helicopters proved "invaluable" for waterbombing hard-to-reach areas, but only after the significant delay. Work continues in the area to monitor for hotspots.

Gray emphasised that helicopters are not a standalone solution. He told the Scottish Parliament that SFRS operational commanders view them as an effective tool only when combined with a properly resourced ground attack. "It is a matter of record that helicopter firefighting assets were not available at the beginning of this wildfire," Gray said.

Call for UK-wide collaboration

The justice secretary called for a collaborative, four-nation approach with England, Wales, and Northern Ireland to address the growing threat. He linked the increasing risk directly to climate change, stating wildfires are "no longer a seasonal hazard." Gray noted that rescue services in England and Wales responded to 342 wildfires in the first six months of this year alone.

He warned of the global context, referencing extreme weather and devastating wildfires across many European countries this summer. Gray confirmed the government's response to the Cairngorms incident would be formally reviewed.

Political and stakeholder reaction

The announcement drew a mixed political response. Scottish Conservative MSP Tim Eagle accused the Scottish government of watching from the "sidelines for almost two weeks" during the Cairngorms fire. He called the new helicopter policy "a good start," but added it came too late for communities still recovering from the blaze.

Ross Ewing, from the landowners organisation Scottish Land and Estates, welcomed the move as a "significant and practical step." The call for improved prevention was echoed last month by Scotland's chief fire officer, Stuart Stevens. In an open letter, Stevens described wildfires as "dynamic, unpredictable and dangerous" and called for a united effort from government, land managers, and communities to reduce the threat. He stressed that the risk could not be addressed through emergency response alone.